VESTAL, N.Y. - Freshman center fielder Matt Bolton belted a grand slam to key a five-run fifth inning and Binghamton baseball (24-22, 12-10) blew past visiting UAlbany (19-29, 9-13 AE) 9-1 in the series opener Thursday night at Bearcats Baseball Complex. 

The game was delayed 2+ hours with lightning before Bolton delivered his own sky strike. With the Bearcats up 2-0 in the fifth, three straight singles loaded the bases for the leadoff hitter, who launched a 2-2 pitch into the Binghamton right field bullpen for his first collegiate grand slam and seventh home run of the season. 

Binghamton added three closing runs in the eighth before UAlbany snapped the shutout with a run in the ninth. 

Sophomore starter Hayden Tarsia (W, 4-2) tossed five shutout innings with four strikeouts. He allowed just four hits and lowered his season ERA to 4.34, fifth-best in the America East. Freshman Brady Bouchard notched his first collegiate save after working the final four innings. He limited the Great Danes to three hits and one run with five strikeouts.

Senior right fielder Zach Rogacki got the Bearcats on the board with a solo home run in the fourth inning. Rogacki sent a 1-0 pitch over the wall in center for his eighth home run of the season. 

Senior catcher Evin Sullivan keyed the three-run eighth inning with a two-out, two-run double into the left field corner. Junior shortstop Mike Stellrecht went 3-for-4 and defensively, finished off a 7-6-2 putout at the plate that denied UAlbany an opening run in the second inning. 

The teams play Game 2 of the series at 6 p.m. Friday.